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Considering the Academic Index and all, does a student from a small school who isn't a step below God have any chance at all of getting into the Ivy League? My counselor refused to omit my class rank even though it gave me close to a 10 point disadvantage on my total A.I. just for going to a small school. I became quite familiar with "A is for Admission," so I know well what the A.I. means to college admissions. What do I do? That disadvantage dropped me straight from a 6/9 to a 4/9 for no good reason at all. I go to a rural school, so it's not like test prep is available to me to make up for this penalty, even if I could afford it, which I really can't. Do colleges adjust the A.I. for rural kids or do they just weed them out and pick all their candidates from the geniuses and those from big schools who can play the system?

By Weldon on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 05:44 am: Edit

You are taking the AI WAAAY too literally. It was meant as a general guide. College admissions isn't a science so don't get too bogged down by details.

Test prep may not be affordable to you but a prep book is, if you're really sincere about making up for any penalty.

Colleges consider the school that candidates apply from.

"do they just weed them out and pick all their candidates from the geniuses and those from big schools who can play the system?"

Loaded language doesn't bother me but will turnoff adcomms if you really are applying.

By Shennie (Shennie) on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 02:08 pm: Edit

I work in a somewhat rural midwest district. Our graduating class last year was 115. A kid from that class was admitted to Harvard. I don't know his stats, but I know he was not in the top 6. I know that the highest ACT score in that class was 32 and it wasn't him. I know that he was not a NM semi-finalist nor Commended. I know that neither of his parents attended Harvard. He is not an athlete nor has any major hook that I am aware of. So I guess the answer to your question is yes.

By Jennifer (Jennifer) on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 08:22 pm: Edit

That's pretty amazing, although I wouldn't call a class of 115 TOO incredibly rural (my class is 29), but I see your point. That's comforting.

And Weldon, sorry if I seemed a bit vindictive/conceited/arrogant/[insert your favorite slam here] in that post; I'm not usually that way. I've just always been incensed since reading the stats that are associated with the Academic Index (the author even said herself that small school kids probably have less of a chance of getting into the Ivies). It's appalling to me that they even have a method of reducing applicants to just a random number, but to give a 9-point penalty to even a valedictorian from a small town? That's a bit harsh, considering that, according to the A.I., that's the difference between a 10% and 50%+ chance of acceptance. If they ever wondered why small town kids never applied before that book was published, they should certainly know now.

Well, that's my rant. How's that Harvard kid getting along, btw? He has my encouragement.

By Weldon on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 09:38 pm: Edit

Jennifer, you didn't seem too vindictive/conceited/arrogant/[slam] at all --- you seemed too literal and maybe a little bit pointed. ;-)

Now that we've cleared that up I hope you can focus on my message to your benefit.

By Jennifer (Jennifer) on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 10:30 pm: Edit

It doesn't matter. It's probably too late for me anyway, and I probably don't deserve to go to the Ivies besides. I'm just a bit frustrated about this whole college admissions thing in general. All I want is to go to a school and learn everything I can possibly absorb about the Japanese language. To best do that and not become severely in debt (by moving to a location with a higher cost of living than here in Kansas) is to go to a school like Princeton that has a stellar financial aid program. Otherwise all I can afford is a community college or in-state school, and for my hopes to acheive academically, that's a bit less than satisfactory. I'm just lost on what to do.

By Calmom (Calmom) on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 03:07 am: Edit

Jennifer,
Macalester guarantees to meet the full financial need of all students, and they offer a minor in Japanese (which can be done along with an Asian Studies major) as well as several study abroad programs. They have an annual Japan festival, and even have a Japan house for a small number of students.

I'm sure that there are other colleges as well, but Macalester came to mind for me because of their strong international focus. If you have the grades and test scores to make you a serious candidate for Princeton, then you should be able to get into Macalester without a problem; if you are a NM Semifinalist, then you are also guaranteed at least $5000 annually of merit aid - that would not increase the overall need based package, but it would increase the grant aid and reduce the loans you would be expected to take on.

You are probably correct that it will be difficult to get into Princeton -- though I don't think it is impossible -- but Macalester would be a good match.

Again, I'm sure there are other schools to consider as well. It is a big mistake to think that the only place where you can get an adequate education is an Ivy. I'm not really trying to pitch Macalester -- it is just one school I think you should look at. There probably are many others.

If your stats are good, you might also get substantial merit aid at other colleges - don't be afraid to look at colleges that are less selective, as merit aid might far exceed the need-based aid you could expect at Princeton.

By Advisor on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 08:07 am: Edit

What makes you think you can't achieve your goals through an in-state (by which I assume you mean public) college, Jennifer?

You make a huge leap, without justification, from Princeton to community college. There's a lot of in-between you've chosen to rule out. Even community colleges can be a satisfactory option.

Does the university system in Kansas have an honors college?

By Jennifer (Jennifer) on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 12:52 pm: Edit

Kansas State University doesn't offer Japanese, and KU only offers it as a minor. Princeton doesn't offer it as a major, either, but my interest in going there is for the library and the financial aid benefits. For me, I could care less about the money and really want to get out of Kansas, but my family is pushing me to either go to Princeton or go to an in-state school (this also includes University of Iowa and Iowa State, since that's where my biological mother lives. My sister's going to Iowa State, but I can't because they don't offer Japanese. I'm going to apply to University of Iowa, but they, like KU, only have Japanese as a minor). It's my parents' ultimatum, not mine. I'm going to apply to Johns Hopkins and Boston University, but I don't know if my parents will let me go there, even if I do get in, since they're private schools.

I'll look into Macalester.

By Shennie (Shennie) on Wednesday, November 06, 2002 - 02:14 pm: Edit

Jennifer - As far as I know, the Harvard student is doing just fine. I have not heard otherwise and since it is a small town, if he was struggling, I would probably hear about it. I will tell you that the adcom from Harvard did tell our hs guidance counselor that the kid admitted to Harvard was the first rural kid admitted to Harvard from our state in 40 years. I really don't know why he was admitted but I am sure he will do fine there.